Francis L. Egan

Francis “Frank” Lawrence Egan, Jr was born in Chicago, Illinois, on December 11, 1927, growing up as the only child to the late Francis and Elizabeth (nee Heim) Egan, and he passed away peacefully on Sunday, May 11, 2025. Frank is survived by his beloved wife, Carol (nee Shunneson) Egan; daughters, Elaine (late John) Carrington, Claire (Gary) Schmitz, Gail (Kent) Walker; grandchildren, Jake Walker, Brendan Walker, Samuel Schmitz, Henry Schmitz, Natalie (Kevin) Carrington Cowan, and Sophie Carrington.

Having lived on Waveland Ave near Wrigley Field throughout his childhood, Frank was an early Chicago Cubs fan, and often a friendly policeman would let him into a game for free after warning him, “Don’t cause any trouble”! After graduating from Lane Tech High School in 1945, Frank finished one year at the University of Chicago before joining the U.S. Army, stationed in Alaska. He completed his B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Chicago upon discharge. All the while, Frank forged many friendships through his neighborhood “Vi-Barts Social-Athletic Club” (so named for the local parishes of St. Vincent and St. Bartholomew). The close-knit group of friends enjoyed various activities such as organized dances, poker, baseball, fishing, and maintaining Chicago Bears season tickets. They continued to meet up for spirited get-togethers throughout their lifetimes.

After graduation, while working as a chemist at the Kendall Company in Chicago, Frank was introduced to his co-worker and future wife, Carol Shunneson. After a long courtship, they married on May 20, 1961, and moved into a walk-up apartment in the Austin area of Chicago. Baby Elaine was born the following year, and the family relocated to Arlington Heights, ultimately residing in the same house for almost 60 years, where they made enduring friendships with many neighbors. The Kendall Company Research Department moved to Barrington around the same time, and Frank continued his career there, becoming an industry-recognized adhesive tape expert and department head, with several patents in his name. His interest in tape extended to his home life, with “Tape is a tool!” as his motto for fixing almost anything around the house.

Their family soon grew with the additional births of daughters Claire and Gail. Frank loved supporting his daughters in everything they did, attending parent-teacher conferences, their sporting events, and rewarding good grades with a pizza dinner. He grumbled after indulging his daughters with a kitten, but was often caught napping with Tinkerbell on his soft belly. Many family vacations were enjoyed over the years, including beach vacations in Florida or on the Atlantic coast. The car trips there and back always included stops at historic places, which, despite some protest at the time, instilled in his daughters his love of history. Frank also took a keen interest in the stock market through his stock club, and his daughters thanked him later for taking all of their birthday money and investing it wisely!

Frank was fortunate to retire at age 58, giving him plenty of dedicated time for tennis and golf. He had a lifelong love of learning, and he and Carol enjoyed extensive travel throughout North America, Europe, and even Thailand. He maintained an impressive vegetable garden despite constant battles with the squirrels, with the squirrels usually winning. He also became an accomplished woodcarver through the Arlington Heights Senior Center, leaving behind many examples of his talented work. Fridays were reserved for a day at Arlington Park Racetrack with friends, followed by dinner at Sam’s Restaurant.

As his daughters married, Frank welcomed his sons-in-law into the family and enjoyed the new family dynamic. As “Papa” to his six grandchildren, he delighted in telling them stories, attending their many sporting events and activities, and eventually teaching them to make an Old-Fashioned cocktail. In addition to frequent visits with each other, the extended Egan clan enjoyed a weeklong lakeside vacation together every summer for years, where Frank relished showing his grandkids how to fish.

In 2022, Frank and Carol downsized to Church Creek Independent Living in Arlington Heights for a more relaxed lifestyle, where they made new connections while still staying close to family and old friends.

A 1:00 PM Visitation followed by a 2:00 PM Celebration of Life service will be held on Friday, May 23, at Lauterburg & Oehler Funeral Home, 2000 E. Northwest Highway, Arlington Heights. Visitation with the family will continue after the service until 4:00 PM. Further information: 847-253-5423 or lauterburgoehler.com.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Frank’s name may be made to The University of Chicago Department of Chemistry, the Cubs Scholars Program, or a charity of your choice. The Egan family thanks the staff at Suncrest Hospice and all the healthcare workers and aides at Church Creek Independent Living, where Frank received such caring support in his final days.